Toy



Jan.17,1961 M GLASS Em.: 2,968,119

' TOY v 2 sheets-sneet- 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1958 Jan. 417, 1961 Filed Aug.4 5, 1958 M. l. GLASS ETAL TOY A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ToY Marvin l. Glass, 57 E. hio St., Chicago, lll., and Leonid frtil' pak, Elmhurst, lll.; said Krlpak assignor to said Filed Aug. 5, 1958, Ser. No. 753,296

3 Claims. (Ci. 46-77) The present invention relates generally to a toy airplane, and particularly to a toy aircraft having actions controlled by a remote control device.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is the provision of a toy aircraft having remotely controlled actions.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a toy aircraft which may be propelled in flight by swinging it around a remote operating device and which includes means controlled by the remote operating device for releasing a bomb load carried by the aircraft and/or for producing noise effects which simulate the firing of a machine gun, and a motor noise.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a toy of the class described which is simple and easy to operate and which may be economically fabricated and sold at an inexpensive price.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood by the reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings of one embodiment of a toy aircraft in accordance with the invention.

ln the drawings:

Figure l is a View illustrating a toy which embodies various of the features of the present invention and which includes a toy aircraft connected to and controlled by a remote operating device;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, cut away, top View of the aircraft shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary, cut away, side elevational view of that portion of the aircraft shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the circuit ernployed in the present invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken along line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a partially sectioned elevational View of the remote operating unit;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8 8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9--9 of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a sectional View taken along line 10g-10 of Figure 7, and

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken along line 11--11 of Figure 7.

Shown generally in the drawings, and particularly in Figure l is one form of a remotely controlled aircraft toy in accordance with the invention. The toy comprises generally a simulated airplane 11 which is adapted to be swung about a remote control station 13, by means of a flexible cable 14 which connects the plane to the control station. A mechanism 15, operable from the control station, is incorporated in the aircraft, as seen in Figures 2 and 3, for producing a motor sound as well as a staccato noise resembling machine gun re and for releasably supporting a bomb load.

atent l" Patented Jan. 17, 1961v The airplane 11 is propellable in a general circular flight path as a result of centrifugal forces generated by manual manipulation of the station 13 so as to effect a swinging action in the airplane. Additional lift is provided for the ight of the plane by the employment of a propeller 17 which is driven by an electric motor 19 controlled ,from the station 13.

The flexible cable 14 which connects the airplane and the remote station comprises a pair of leads 21 and 23 which are suitably connected at one end to the motor 19 and are connected at the other .end to the control station 13 so as to afford operation of the motor from a source of power in the control station. In addition, the cable 14 is suitably anchored as with a knot, within the wing of the aircraft so as to provide a strain relief for the connection between the motor 19 and the cable.

The aircraft illustrated is fabricated generally from an upper and lower section 27 and 29 which form the fuselage 31, a wing section 33 which is secured to the lower fuselage section 29, and a member 35 which is secured to the undersurface of the wing to complete the formation of a sounding chamber 25 as will be more fully described.

As seen particularly in Figures 3, 5 and 6, the wing section 33 is fabricated with an irregularly shaped central portion 3'7 which has an upper convex surface adapted to be joined to the lower fuselage section 29 and a recess or depression 39 having a forwardly located raised platform 41 upon which is mounted the operating mechanism 15 for releasably engaging the bomb load and for aiding in producing the simulated machine gun firing action. In addition, the walls of the platform 41 cooperate with the adjoining undersurface of the wing section 33 and with the member 35 to define the walls of the sounding chamber 25.

The upper fuselage section 27 is formed to include a cockpit 43, a pair of elevators 47, and a rudder 49 extending vertically between the elevators. The lower section 29 is joined to the upper section 27 by suitable means, and is formed to provide for a concave portion which is joined to the wing section 37 by suitable means, and which has an opening formed therein permitting the working mechanism 15 mounted on the platform 41 to extend within the fuselage. In addition, the aircraft is provided with a landing gear which includes a pair of Wheels supported from the undersurface of the wings and a tail skid attached to the rear of the fuselage. The airplane may take any desired form provided that it has a suitable sounding chamber 25 for coaction with the mechanism 15.

Releasably suspended under the aircraft are a pair of bombs 51. In the illustrated embodiment, the bombs include a nose 53, a body 55, and a set of tail fins 57. The bomb construction also includes a generally rectangular tab 59 which projects outwardly from the bomb body 55 for insertion within the Linder portion of the aircraft and which is provided with a notch or slot 61 extending inwardly from the forward edge thereof for releasable supporting engagement with the interior operating mechanism 15.

The mechanism 15 which is operable to provide the simulated bomb releasing, motor noise, and machine gun tiring action is carried, as seen best in Figure 3, on a bracket 63 of generally S-shape having a pair of upright legs 65 and 67 which are joined at their lower ends by a transverse segment 69 and having an additional generally vertical leg 71 which is joined at its upper end to the upper end of the leg 67 by a transverse section 73. The bracket 63 is secured to the platform 41 along the transverse segment 69 by suitable means.

The motor 19 is supported between the legs 71 and 67 and the armature shaft 77 projects through holes in the upright leg 67. Fixed to the end of the armature shaft 77 is a drive pinion 79 which is in meshing engagement with a driven gear 81 carried on a main shaft 83. The main shaft 83 is journalled in openings in the upright legs 65 and 67 and extends forwardly through the fuselage. They shaft 83 at its forward end is drivingly connected to the propeller 17.

The machine gun sound is controlled by centrifugal force differences caused by changes in rnotor speed. In this connection, a hub or collar 35 is ixedly attached to the main shaft 83 rearward of the driven gear S1 and has extending therefrom a flexible member or wire 87 which is connected to a bushing or sleeve 89 rotatably Supported on the main shaft 83. The bushing 89 is resiliently urged away from the collar 85 as will hereinafter be described so as to tension the wire S7. Carried centrally on the wire 87 is a striker 91, which in the present case, takes the form of a large metal bead. When the striker 91 is rotated at low speed by the motor 19, the centrifugal force generated is insufficient to overcome the influence of the biasing force acting on the bushing 89, and under this condition, the striker does not contact the transverse segment 69 of the supporting bracket 63. However, when the motor 19 is driven at a higher speed, the centrifugal force generated by the Weight of the striker 91 tends to overcome the resilient biasing force acting on the bushing 89, so that the striker rotates with an increased radius. Thereby, the striker rotates at a sufiiciently increased radius to hit the transverse segment 69 mounted on the sounding chamber 25 to provide the desired machine gun sound effect.

The bombs are carried by a supporting member or plate 95 which is suitably secured to the rearward upper end of the upright bracket leg 65. As best seen in Figure 6, the lower portion of the supporting member 95 is of generally bifurcated form having a pair of fingers 97 each of which supports one of the bombs 51. The lower end of each of the fingers 97 is formed with a supporting triangular configuration 99 for releasable engagement with the notch 61 provided in the bomb tab 59. Of course, the recess 39 of the wing section 33 and the member 35 are also each provided with a pair of aligned apertures 101 through which the bomb tabs 59 may be inserted for engagement with the triangular configuration 99 at the lower end of the bomb supporting fingers 97. The dimensions of the apertures 101 are only slightly larger than the cross sectional dimensions of the tabs 59 to thereby permit easy insertion of the tabs within the apertures, and to thereby also restrict any lateral movement of the tabs relative to the aircraft. This provision serves the double purpose of aligning the bombs and also maintains the position of the tabs during withdrawal of the supporting configurations 99 to effect release of the bombs incident to forward movement of the fingers 97.

The plate 95 is also formed with an ear 103, see Figure 3, which projects forwardly from the upper portion of the plate and which is engaged by an annular groove 105 in the bushing 89. This provides the resilient biasing means which prevents free lateral movement of the bushing 89 along the shaft 83. In operation, when the motor speed is suficient to cause the rotational radius of the striker to increase in response to the increased centrifugal force, the sleeve 89 will move forwardly along the main shaft S3, and will carry the ear 103 of the plate forwardly also. As a result of this forward movement, the bomb supporting fingers 97 are caused to move forwardly and to disengage from the bomb tab slots 61 to effect release of the bombs.

Another feature included in the disclosed aircraft is a sound creating means which, in conjunction with operation of the motor, produces a noise effect adapted to resemble the sound of a motor. In this connection, there is fixed between the transverse bracket leg 69 and the platform 41 a T-shaped vibrator or spring member 109. The stem 111 of the T-shaped vibrator extends upwardly through an opening in the transverse segment 69 for engagement with the bottom of the driving gear 81. Thus, as the gear 81 s driven by the operation of the motor, it continuously engages the stem 111 of the vibrator which acts in association with the sounding chamber 25 to produce a motor noise.

As previously noted, the flight of the aircraft and the operation of the mechanism to effect the simulated machine gun firing noise and to release the bomb load are controlled by the remote station 15. In this connection, the particular remote station employed in conjunction with the described aircraft includes a battery case 115, a rotatable take-off assembly 117 at the top of the case to which the flexible cable 14 is secured, and a switch 119 which permits the energization of the motor at either of two energy levels.

The battery case is fabricated from a suitable material such as plastic and includes a generally cylindrical main portion 121 which is closed at the bottom and which contains a pair of batteries 123 and 125 in generally aligned relation. The top end of the cylindrical case 115 is closed by a cover plate 127 having a downwardly depending circular flange 129 which is suitably attached to the outer surface of the upper end of the cylindrical portion 121. The cylindrical portion 121 of the battery case includes a longitudinal half segment 131 which may be removed so as to provide access for loading and unloading batteries within the case. This segment 131 includes an upper edge portion 133 which engages the inner flange surface of the cover plate 127 and a bottom portion 135 which may be suitably secured to the remaining area of the bottom of the cylindrical case, as by a screw 137` so as to suitably enclose the batteries and complete the cylindrical form of the battery case.

The take-off assembly 117 is rotatably mounted on the top of the battery case and extends through an opening 139 in the cover plate 127. The construction of the take-off assembly 117 includes a central stem 141 which is molded or otherwise formed of suitable material, a cap 143 which is also suitably formed of plastic material and which fits over and is secured to the upper end of the stem, and a retaining ring or brush 145 of a conducting metal. such as copper. The ring 145 is secured to a lower shoulder of the stem 141 so as to form, in cooperation with the cap 143, a pair of opposed faces 147 and 149 which are disposed for abutment against the upper and lower faces, respectively, of the cover plate 127 to thereby confine the vertical movement of the stem, but at the same time, to permit free rotation of the take-off assembly.

The stem 141 is formed with a central bore 151 through which a fastening element. such as an eyelet 153 extends to secure a generally U-shaped electrical terminal 155 to the lower end of the stem. The stem 141 also includes a second longitudinal bore 157 which is aligned with a similar opening in the metallic retainer 145. In this connection, the cap 143 is formed with a recess 159 which communicates with the bores 151 and 157 of the stem and which also communicates with a sleeve 161 which projects outwardly of the cap. The flexible cable 14 enters the cap through the outwardly projecting sleeve 161, and is arranged with one of the leads 21 extending through the eyelet 153 to a connection with the terminal 155, and with the other lead 23 extending through the bore 157 to a connection with the metallic retaining ring 145.

The circuit to the motor 19 is completed through the switch 119 which includes a squeeze button 165 mounted pivotally on the pin 166 within a longitudinally extending shouldered opening in the side wall of the battery case. The squeeze button 165 is desirably formed with a concave surface above and below the pivot so as to accommodate the rst and second fingers of the hand which may be employed to alternately energize the motor at a first energy level or at a second greater energy level. A conducting blade 167 connected to the button 165 extends upwardly along the inner wall of the battery case and has a U-shaped upper end 169 fashioned so as to bear against the side edge of the metallic retaining ring 145 as illustrated in Figure 7. The attachment between the conducting blade 167 and the squeeze button 165 is provided by a pair of longitudinally spaced rivets 171 and 173, or the like, which also serve as contacts. 1n this regard, there is oppositely disposed and spaced from the upper rivet 171 a contact 175 forming one leg of a conductor 179 secured to the inner wall of the battery case. The conductor 179 also includes a leg 181 which projects inwardly of the battery case between the batteries 123 and 125 and which is formed at its inner end with a U-shaped ear 183 in a manner affording contact of the upper surface of the ear with the upper battery 123 and contact of the lower surface of the ear with the top electrode of the lower battery 125. When the squeeze button is depressed by pressure applied to the upper concave surface, the contacts 171 and 175 are closed and the circuit to the motor is completed through the single upper battery 123 so as to drive the motor at a first speed which produces the mctor sound and turns the propeller but which is insufficient to effect the production of the machine gun firing noise or the release of the bomb load.

Disposed in opposite and spaced relation to the contact 173 located at the lower end of the squeeze button is a contact 185 formed on a blade 187 which extends upwardly from the bottom of the battery case. The blade 187 includes an upright leg which is su'tably secured to the battery case, such as by a rivet 189, and a transverse leg 191 which extends inward of the battery case and which is positioned for contacting engagement with the bottom of the lower battery 125. When the contacts 173 and 185 are closed by pressure applied to the lower concave surface of the trigger button, the circuit to the motor is completed through both the batteries 123 and 125 in series to thereby energize the mftor at a greater energy level to effect production of the desired machine gun noise effect and release of the bcmb load.

As a result of the above described switching arrangement, it will be observed that in the normal position of the trigger button 165. the contacts 171 and 173 are spaced from the contacts 175 and 185, and, accordingly, the circuit to the motor is opened. By the application of pressure on the upper portion of the squeeze button 165, the bottom rocks on the pivot pin 166 and the circuit to the motor is closed through the contacts 171 and 175 and through the upper battery 123 to drive the moto-r at a first speed which causes rotation of the propeller and the production of the motor roar noise effect. However, this first speed is not great enough to produce sufficient centrifugal force so as to cause a significant increase in the radius of rotation of the striker which is effective to initiate action of the striker against the sounding chamber to produce the desired machine gun noise effect, or to effect release of the bomb load.

The squeezing of the lower portion of the trigger button 165 causes the closing of the contacts 173 and 185 and the application of the energy of both batteries in series to the motor 19 to thereby drive the motor at an increased speed which effectively generates a sucient amount of centrifugal force to extend the radius of the striker 91 so as to produce the desired machine gun-like noise and the release of the bomb load.

In operation, the switch 119 is actuated to energize the motor 19 at the lower speed and the remote control devic,I 15 is manually manipulated to orbit the aircraft 11 about the station and to produce suicient lift in cooperation with the rotation of the propeller 17 to cause the plane to become airborne. When it is desired to release the bombs 51 and to produce the sound effect simulating the action of machine gun firing, pressure is applied to the lower portion of the trigger button to close the contacts 173 and 185 and to thereby increase the motor speed. After the bomb load has been dropped, the machine gun action may be continued for as long as desired, or the switch can be employed to decrease the speed of the motor again and to continue the flight of the aircraft as desired. Of course, the machine gun action can again be instituted by operation of the switch whenever desired.

The toy aircraft described herein includes various features which combine to produce an attractive and interesting toy.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the disclosed construction to achieve certain of the features mentioned herein without departing from the principles of the present invention.

We claim:

1. A toy comprising a simulated airplane, a remote control station, and a flexible cable connecting said airplane and said remote control station, said airplane including a motor energizable by said remote control sta tion, a propeller driven by said motor, means driven by said motor for producing a sound effect resembling a motor roar, and means rotated by said motor and responsive to centrifugal force thereby produced for releasing a bomb carried by the airplane and for producing a noise effect simulating the sound of machine gun firing, said remote control station including switch means operable selectively to drive said motor at a low speed and at a higher speed, whereby the higher rate of rotation produced by said motor is effective to operate said means responsive to centrifugal force for releasing a bomb carried by the airplane and for producing a noise effect simulating the sound of machine gun firing.

2. A toy comprising a simulated airplane, a bomb releasably supported by said airplane, a remote control station, and a flexible cable connecting said airplane and said remote control station, said airplane including a sounding chamber formed therein, a motor energizable by said remote control station, a weighted striker element positionable for action against said sounding chamber and drivingly connected to said motor for movement in a circular path, and means mechanically connected with said striker element for releasably supporting said bomb, said remote control station including switch means operable to selectively drive said motor at a low speed and at a higher speed, said higher speed of said motor rotating said weighted striker element so as to generate sufiicient centrifugal force to effect outward movement of said weighted striker element relative to its axis of rotation to thereby position said striker element for striking of said sounding chamber incident to the rotation of said striker element so as to produce a noise effect resembling a machine gun firing sound, and to thereby cause release of said bomb by said bomb supporting means.

3. A toy comprising a simulated airplane including a sounding chamber located therein, a bomb releasably supported by said airplane, a remote control station, and a flexible cable connecting said airplane and said remote control station, said airplane including a motor energizable by said remote control station, said motor driving a gear carried on a shaft` a vibrator actuated by said gear to produce a noise effect resembling a motor roar, a propeller fixed to said shaft, a resilient member secured at one end to said shaft and carrying a relatively heavy element spaced from the end of said resilient member connected to said shaft, the other end of said resilient member being secured to a sleeve journalled on said shaft for axial movement therealong, and a plate having an ear engaged with said sleeve and a leg releasably supporting said bomb, said remote control station including switch means operable selectively to drive said motor at a low speed to thereby cause rotation of said weight at a first radius from said shaft, and to drive said motor at a higher speed whereby the rate of rotation of said weight is increased, said increased rate of rotation being effective to increase the radius of rotation of said Weight in response to the centrifugal force generated thereby, said increased radius of rotation causing said weight to strike against said sounding chamber to thereby produce a noise effect simulating the sound of machine gun tiring, and causing axial movement of said sleeve and resultant movement of said plate to thereby effect disengagement of said leg from said bomb so as to effect release thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS France May 5, 

